Climate Action on St. Eustatius: Four Interconnected Components

By René Reehuis

On August 21, 2026, the local government presented its new climate plan for St. Eustatius. The accompanying exhibition was notably professional: organizations showcased their contributions, children took part in interactive activities, and residents were invited not only to learn about the plan but also to participate in its implementation. It demonstrated how climate policy can work on a small island vulnerable to hurricanes, drought and rising sea levels.

Statia’s approach is not based on one major project, but on four interconnected areas: renewable energy, nature restoration, goat management and agriculture. Together, they are intended to make the island more resilient.

The transition begins with energy. For many years, St. Eustatius depended entirely on diesel generators. That changed with the opening of its first solar park in 2016, when 6,000 panels began supplying approximately 23 percent of the island’s electricity. By August 2026, the share of solar energy had increased to 55 percent, generated by some 18,000 panels across the island. The ambition is to produce between 85 and 90 percent renewable energy by early 2027.

STUCO has also announced that the island’s first charging point for electric vehicles will become operational in September 2026. There are currently ten electric cars on Statia. The number may be small, but the development connects renewable electricity with cleaner transportation.

Nature restoration is the second part of the strategy. Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage to the island’s vegetation in 2017. More than 90 percent of the trees lost their leaves, leaving the soil exposed and increasing erosion.

In response, STENAPA launched the ReforeStatia project. More than 1,000 trees were planted between 2023 and 2025, with 88 percent surviving the first dry period. The nursery can produce up to 3,500 trees annually, although practical limitations mean that fewer trees are actually planted. Every surviving tree absorbs carbon dioxide and helps stabilize the soil—an important contribution as the cliffs around Lower Town have become increasingly vulnerable.

That vulnerability is closely connected to the island’s long-running problem with free-roaming goats. The animals eat young vegetation before it can become established, leaving the soil unprotected and allowing it to wash away during heavy rain.

A large-scale effort to reduce the goat population began in July 2022. At the time, the number of roaming animals was estimated at between 12,000 and 14,000. However, little public information is available about how many goats have since been removed or whether erosion has measurably declined. Iron netting has been installed along parts of the Lower Town cliffs to prevent further deterioration, but this remains a temporary measure. Lasting recovery will only be possible when overgrazing ends.

Agriculture forms the fourth component. Statia wants to reduce its dependence on imported food. The St. Eustatius Farmers Foundation, which represents approximately thirty farmers, is working with two innovative approaches.

Syntropic farming combines trees and crops without artificial fertilizers, creating a system that resembles a natural forest. Agrivoltaics combines solar panels with food production. The first such project opened at the STUCO Solar Park in September 2025. The objective is to reduce emissions through local food production while making efficient use of scarce land. On a small island, each square metre may need to serve more than one purpose.

Private organizations also participated in the climate-plan exhibition. Golden Rock Resort presented the sustainability measures used on its property, including its own energy generation, while Celbees showcased locally produced natural products. Their involvement underlined that climate action is not solely a government responsibility but a collective effort.

These initiatives matter because small islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change. At the same time, their limited size can encourage creative solutions. Solar power reduces emissions, trees protect the soil and coastline, goat control supports vegetation recovery, local agriculture reduces dependence on imports, and electric vehicles make transportation cleaner. Each element supports the others.

What remains lacking is sufficient public data to measure progress. It is unclear how many goats have been removed, how much erosion has been prevented, or how much of the island’s food is now produced locally. Without measurable results, it is difficult to determine how quickly the transition is progressing.

Nevertheless, Statia has laid the foundations for something more substantial than a collection of separate projects. Its climate strategy is built on practical choices: solar power instead of diesel, restored vegetation instead of bare hillsides, food production combined with energy generation, and cleaner transportation.

Real sustainability, however, also requires discipline. Goat owners must keep their animals within designated areas, and free-roaming goats must eventually become a thing of the past. If Statia succeeds, it could become an example for other small islands facing similar challenges.

Plans, strategies and exhibitions are valuable, but protecting nature ultimately depends on individual behaviour as well. It is reflected in how we live, what we buy, what we throw away and how carefully we use energy. We have become part of a disposable society in which products are often replaced quickly because price is valued more than durability. We take longer showers than necessary, leave lights on in empty rooms and use air conditioning when a fan might be sufficient.

True sustainability does not begin with government alone. It begins with the small choices we make every day.

When I moved to St. Eustatius in 1998, I brought a Brabantia rotary clothesline with me. It is an ordinary household item, but 28 years later I still use it—and even the lines have never needed replacing. It consumes no electricity, requires virtually no maintenance and produces no unnecessary waste. It simply continues to do what it was designed to do.

Perhaps that is the real lesson. Sustainability is not necessarily a grand ambition. It is the result of small, consistent actions. If we recover that mindset, every island, no matter how small, can make a meaningful difference.